The Night that Changed Everything
by chocolateapples1432
Summary: September 18th 1917 is when Lady Mary danced with Tom Branson. July 8th 1918 is when they danced again and did something neither could take back, ever. Join Mary and Tom on their story of friendship, love and the unexpected. Rated T. I don't own Downton Abbey or it's characters, I just own the plot to this story.


**The Night that Changed Everything.**

**Prologue****:**

**It wasn't supposed to happen. It was a fling. A bit of drunken bliss.**  
**But it did happen. The fling had flung. The drunken bliss had happened.**  
**That was the reason. Alcohol.**  
**In their alcohol induced state, they only had small snippets of their night of passion.**  
**And now they were in a situation, far beyond what they could comprehend.**  
**After all, he was a chauffeur and she was a lady.**

**Chapter 1.**

* * *

Mary stood quietly sipping her champagne in a secluded corner. Everyone knew it hurt her to be around Matthew and Lavinia. It was 1918. Love can be a ruthless game unless you play your cards right, Mary thought dryly. Everyone was either dancing or chatting, while Mary happily stood in her corner in silence. She looked over to her family, Sybil was dancing with a young officer,  
Edith was chatting with Granny, her parents were dancing looking younger than they had in years, and Isobel was speaking with Matthew once in a while throwing pained glances over to Mary, apparently, Isobel wasn't too found of Lavinia. Something she can agree on with Granny, Mary mused. She glanced around the room again, nothing of particular interest was happening. Mary's mind wandered back to Pamuk, thanking God they hadn't gotten to far, they'd been kissing for five minutes when he'd died. Still, the memory would haunt her.

'' M'Lady?'' she looked and saw Branson looking sheepish and throwing quick glances over to Sybil.

'' Yes?''

'' I was wondering, if I could have the honor of this next dance?'' It was a sort of waltz/ ballroom dance (A/N: You know the dance in Taylor Swift's Love-story video, that dance.)

'' Of course.'' Mary said smiling softly, as they were dancing Mary could feel her families eyes on her, almost cautionary, as if they had expected her not to dance.

'' What's it like?'' she heard Tom ask her quietly.

'' What's what like?''

'' To love someone who doesn't love you back.'' he said glancing at Sybil again, Mary glanced at Matthew who was staring at Lavinia lovingly.

'' It feels like... your heart is being ripped out of your chest and stamped on. I personally think the heart was made to be broken into pieces.'' Tom spun her and she landed in his arms.

'' Is it hard to let go of the one you love?''

'' Not as hard as holding onto a love that was never real.'' Mary said staring up into his eyes she had previously thought were just blue, but they were a dark ocean colour with small bits of green and blue around the edges, and Mary desperately tried to look away from his beautiful eyes.

'' You love him, don't you?''

'' Not nearly as much as you love Sybil.''

'' Am I that obvious?'' he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

'' No, I just know, I see the way you look at her.''

'' She doesn't like me like that.''

'' I think she does, a little maybe.''

'' I really do hope you work things out with Mr Matthew.''

'' I doubt it, he loves Lavinia with all his heart, he's her's body and soul. My heart will never ever be the same, but I keep trying to tell myself, everything will turn out alright in the end.''

'' Lady Mary, you've loved him for six years, she's loved him for two. I don't think there's much competition. But you can allow yourself to be vulnerable. Hearts always break, but they always repair themselves in the end.''

'' Hearts break, yes. But I've always thought, that whenever they break, we should die, to stop the pain, but we don't, we keep living and breathing, trying to move on.''

'' Can we talk about something else?'' Tom joked lightly, Mary let out a small chuckle.

'' If it keeps us from talking about lost loves, then yes.''

'' What's your favorite colour?'' Mary was taken by surprise, even by a simple question.

'' Red, it means so many things at once.''

'' Like?''

'' Passion, anger, desire. The list is endless.'' Mary whispered, Tom let out a smile and looked down into Mary's dark eyes, he was taken aback by the seemingly endless dark chocolate colour.

'' Blue.''

'' Pardon?''

'' My favorite colour, is blue.''

'' Why?''

'' It's calming.'' he stated simply, avoiding looking into her entrancing eyes, scared in case he got lost in them. Sybil's eyes were a bright energetic blue, but Mary's were dark chocolate,  
mysterious, hiding emotions, her eyes somewhat...calmed him, whereas Sybil's always left him thinking he had to keep proving himself to her. It was odd, how much you could tell by looking into someone's eyes. The last note of the dance rang out, Mary and Tom smiled at each other, each sporting a small blush.

'' Thank you, Mr Branson, we'll have to dance again sometime.'' Mary said gazing into his eyes, he did too, oh how he wanted to stare into her eyes all day...

'' Anytime M'Lady.'' Mary made her excuses to her mother and walked up the stairs, feeling light-headed and giddy.

* * *

Mary lay on her bed reading _Pride and Prejudice_. Not her favorite book of all time, but she enjoyed it. She heard a knock at her door, she reached for her dressing gown and tied it on.

'' Just a minute.'' she marked her page in her book and opened the door, her Grandmother stood there cane and all.

'' Mary dear, I just came to say goodnight, you retired rather early.''

'' Oh, I had a headache, it's better now.''

'' I saw you dancing with Branson.'' _Ah, dear sweet Granny, always getting to the point._

'' Yes?'' Mary asked raising a brow.

'' Why?''

'' He asked me, it would have been rude to decline and he's a good dancer.'' Violet cracked a small smile.

'' Mary, do you still love Matthew?''

'' I- I don't know.'' Mary sighed, those were the questions she'd been getting from her family.

'' Because, I'd support you with him rather than that wench.''

'' Granny, Lavinia's a nice woman. Matthew loves her, what does he have to do to make you all see that?! Carve her name on his chest?''

'' Mary. I'm not saying I want you with him, I want you to be happy, even if it isn't with Matthew.''

'' Are you implying that you think I love Mr Branson?''

'' Well, now that you mention it.''

'' I don't, I'm sure I'd like to be friends with him, but as a lover, no not really.''


End file.
